Vellore district will be trifurcated to create Ranipet and Tirupattur, Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswamy announced Thursday.

On Friday, Reddy's office had said he had directed the Water Resources Department authorities to ensure water release immediately. As per the agreement between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the former normally releases at least two TMC feet of water to meet Chennai's drinking water needs, official sources had said in Vijayawada.

DMK treasurer Durai Murugan’s son Kathir Anand emerged as the winner by a slender margin of 8,141 votes over AC Shanmugam, the founder of the New Justice Party who contested in AIADMK’s two-leaves symbol.

Such a sudden departure of ministers was more prevalent during the regime of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. However, this is the first time since becoming the Chief Minister in 2017 that Edappadi has dropped a Minister.